Vania



E. J. HOUSTON 8L E. THOMSON,

Centrifugal Creamer.

Patented April 5,1881.

pill/l/l/l/I/I/l/l/ INV ITNESSES.

ENTORS.

UNITED- S E ,"PATENT OF CE,

EDVVIN .T. 'IiOUSTON AND ELIHU THOMSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THEODORE BERGNER, OFSAME PLACE.

CENTRlFUGAL CREAM srncrmcarron forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,659, dated April 5, 1881.

' Application filed omber ze, 1877.

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that .we, EDWIN J. l-Iousrou sylv-ania, have jointly invented certain new and usefullmprovements inCentrifugal Separatols, of which improvements the following 18 a specification.

Our invention relates to machines of the class in which the separation of the lighter and heavier constituents of liquids or semifluids is effected by the action of centrifugal force; and our improvements are designed to provide means by which the process of centrifugal separation may be extended to novel applications, and may be carried on continuously and effectively in an apparatus of simple and economical construct-ion and mode of operation.

. To these ends our improvements consist in the combination of a rotating separating-vessel having a solid or imperforate periphery and an upper and lowerdischarge-opening, in which vessel the separation of the liquid is effected, with an inclosing-case which receives, after the operation of separation, the lighter ingredients or constituents of the liquid, the lighter and the heavier ingredients being separately and continuously delivered to suitable receptacles.

The improvements claimed are hereinafter more fully set forth.

In'the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are vertical central sections through centrifugal separators embodying our improve- 1 merits, the incIosing-cases being, respectively,

,fix'ed and movable; and Figs. 3 and-4 are ho'rizontal sections through the same at the lines of Fig. 1 and y goof Fig. 2, respectively.

. To carry out our invention we providea sep arating-yessel, A, which is swelled outward toward its base, in form substantially of either a {frust'nm of a cone or segment of a sphere,

and is secured firmly upon a tubular vertical axis'or shaft, A, towvhich' rapid rotation is imparted by gearing or belts in the ordinary manner. The periphery or body of the vessel .A is solid or imperforate throughout, and the vessel is provided with a central opening or mouthe at top, and a central opening in its bottom corresponding in diameter with the bore of the shaft A. I

A horizontal deflecting-plate, A is secured within the vessel A, a short distance above its bottom, the diameter of said plate being such that the width of the annular space between its periphery and the body of the vessel may be about equal to the distance between the plate and the bottom of the vessel.

A tight cylindrical case-,3, concentrically incloses the separating-vessel A, said case be ing closed at, its ends by a cap, b, and bottom plate,b, respectively, and being either secured to a fixed support or rotating with the vessel, as may be preferred. In the instance ot a fixed case, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3-, a central opening, 11*, is formed in the cap I), the diameter of which opening must be less than that of the mouth a of the separating-vessel,

so asto prevent the escape of liquid, and a smaller central opening, surrounded by an upturned flange or rim b", is formed in the bottom plate, I), for the free passage of the shaft A.

A discharge-tube, b, is connected to any convenient portion of the bottom plate, 1), and serves to lead off the lighter separated ingredients,

The li'quidto be treated is fed to the separating-vessel through a central supply-tube, B, passing through the opening 11 in the cap I) ofvthe case and through the mouth'a of the separating-vessel, and terminating a short dis tance abovethe deflecting-plate A 1 In the rotating case shown in Figs. 2 and 4. the discharge-tube b is replaced bye-tubular shaft, B, communicating at top with the case deflecting-plate, B located 'a short distance above-the main defiecting-plate A and of smaller diameter than the "same.

The arrangement of a case rotating with the separatingvessel is designed more .particu larly for operations in'which a high rate of rotative speed is necessary or advisable, and is specially applicable to the rapid clearing of muddy water for paper, dye, or chemical works, and the continuous separation of cream from milk.

In the operation of our improvements the liquid to be treated is fed to the separating,- vesselA in a continuous stream, graduated in quantity, as required, through the supply-tube B and rsreceived upon the deflecting-plate A the interposition of which prevents its passage directly to the opening of the lower tubular shaft. Under the influence of the centrifugal force developed by the rapid rotation of the vessel A the denser ingredients or constituents of the supplied liquid aecu mulate at and toward thegreatest diameter of the vessci A, as shown by the heavy dots in the drawngs, while the lighter ingredients or constituen ts arranging themselves nearer the axis of rotation, as shown by the light dots, are discharged around the mouth a of the vessel into the case B, from which they are withdrawn into a suitable receptacle through the discharge-tube b, or through the tubular shaft 13 according as a. fixed or a rotating case is employed. The denser ingredients or constituents pass under the deflecting-plate A into the tubular shaft A, from which they are removed from time to time, as required, by a pump. Me thus provide a separator having a single source of supply and two distinct discharges, and susceptible of continuous operation without interference of the supplied liqu 1d with the separated products. The supplemental deflecting-plate 13 serves to effectually separate the incoming liquid from the separated-lighter ingredients passing upward to V be discharged over the mouth of the vessel.

I t will be obvious that in' the operation of our nvention stoppages of the apparatus for thelnsertion and removal of material, as in ordinary centrifugal machines, are unnecessary, and theoperation of separation may be cont nnously carried on until any desired quantieyJ-of liquid has been treated.

Our improvements are further applicable to many instances in which decantation, filtermg, or straining'has hitherto been the only practicable m ode ot' treatmentas, for example, in clay elutriation, the clarifying of liqaids, such as wines,'bcer, varnishes, or oil, the separationrof semi-solid fats from oil, &c.

and are particularly adaptable to cases in which, from the nature of the materials dealt with, centrifugal machines of the ordinary type cannot be employedf or example, in the separation of two mingled liquids of different densities, one from the other, as in creaming milk.

We claim as our invention and desire to secure'by Letters Patenting a single supply and two separate discharge openings, an inclosing-case communicating with one of the discharge-openings of said 5;

vessel, and a tubular shaft upon which the separating-vessel is 1n ounted, and which communicates with the other discharge-opening thereof, substantially as setforth. v

2. The combination, in an apparatus for 7 the centrifugal separation of materials of different densities, of an open-mouthed separating-vessel mounted upon and rotating with a tubular shaft, with which it communicates at bottom, a deflecting-plate within said ves- 73 sel above the opening of the tubular shaft, a central supplytube opening into said vessel above the deflecting-plate, and an inclosingcase provided with a lower discharge-openin g, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in an apparatus for the centrifugal separation of materials of differ ent densities, of a rotating separating-vessel, mounted on and communicating at bottom with a tubular shaft, and an inclosing-case with which the separating-vessel communicates at top, said inclosing-casc being 'provided with a discharge-passage surrounding the tubular shaft of the vessel, substantially as set forth. 9

4. A vessel for centrifugal separation having an open top or mouth and an imperforate periphery or body, said vessel being swelled outward toward its base and communicating thereat with a tubular axis or shaft, upon which it is mounted, substantially as set forth.

5. The process of creamingmilk mechanically, skimming off the cream mechanically, and removing the skimmed milk mechanically by centrifugal force. l

6. The process of creaming milk mechanically, skimming ofii the cream mechanically, and augmentin the volume of the charge, so as to remove b0 h the cream and the skimmed milk separately by centrifugal force. in

7. The process of creaming mill: mechanically, skimming otl. the cream mechanically, and supplying fresh milk under a regulated feed, so as to drive off the cream and skimmed milk separately, while maintaining incipient l and progressive separations of the supply into accrctions of cream and skimmed milk.

8. The process of creamingmilk and skimming oi? the cream by the action of centrifugal force. 1 1 l 9. The process of creami ng milk by centrifugal force and feeding in skimmed milk, new milk, or milk and water, to drive off the cream. 

